HYDERABAD: While Covid-19 cases are soaring in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, dengue which had troubled Telangana in 2019, is casting its shadow again. Sources at the Hyderabad district health office say that there have been three dengue cases in the GHMC limits in June already.
These cases are from Charminar, Khairtabad and Serilingampally which are incidentally also some of the worst Covid-affected areas. “Dengue cases are much lesser this year at the moment, but all precautionary measures are being taken. There is an e-portal which links hospitals (private and government) to the GHMC entomology wing. There is an update every time a case comes up,” said an official.
GHMC maps 389 areas prone to dengue
While three is still a small number, officials do not want to take any chances. There were at least 1,400 confirmed dengue cases in GHMC limits last year. Apart from this, there were another 1,960 suspected dengue cases from private hospitals. “In light of an increase in cases last year, we have already identified 389 vulnerable areas across GHMC limits.
As and when positive cases come up, that area will be treated as a hotspot and fumigation and anti-larval activities will be intensified so that mosquitoes to man transmission is cut off,” says Dr Ram Babu, Chief Entomologist, GHMC. MAUD Minister K T Rama Rao has been talking about behavioural change through his “10 minutes at 10 am on Sunday” campaign urging people to clear stagnant water in their houses. “The idea is to target naalas, lakes and the stream of Musi river which is about 21 km. Here we will be taking up hyacinth removal and deploy drones to spray chemicals to stop mosquitoes from breeding,” added Dr Babu.